This might seem like a dumb question, but do I need an android device in order to publish a game to Google Play? I really want to create a mobile game however I can’t publish it on IOS because it is pretty expensive and I will need a Mac. However I could publish a game to Google Play, however I don’t have an android! Do I really need an android device in order to publish a game to google play?
No, you don’t need an android device to publish an android game. However, it’s preferable to have at least one android device to test your games, but you can use emulators instead (Nox, bluestacks, …).
My advice: get a couple of cheap second hand devices.